Improvem ent in v



S. P. RUGGLES. Vehicle-Wheel Hub.

No. 221,976. Patented N0v.25,1879.

UNITE@ S-ZTAr-Es PATENT "Enron STEPHE-NP. RUGGLES, OF BOSTON, MASSAOHSETTS Speciication forming partL of Letters "Patent No; 221,976, dated November 25, 1879 application led October 13, 1879.

To all J'whom 'it may concern Be it knownythatlLlSrnPnnN l?. RUeGLEs, of Boston, 4in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented Vcertain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Wheel' Hubs; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, `and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making a partof this specitication, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view ot' the hub. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a front view of the central piece used in forming the hub. Fig. 4 represents an end view of the hub.

My invention relates to vehicle-wheel hubs made ot' metal, and suitable for childrens car-` riages, velocipedes, and other light vehicles.

Heretofore hubs of this class of vehicles have generally been made of wood, and, being of small size, they cannot resist rough usage or strain,to which they are often subjected. The hubs of wagon-wheels have been made of metal, and are quite strong, the various pieces form-v ing them being securely bolted together. They have been made with a central pipe-box, provided with a plane central iiange having recesses, and provided with recessed caps bolted `together to secure and retain the spokes; but

this construction renders them too cumbersome and, expensive to be adopted for light childrens carriages.

The object of my invention is to construct a hub of a series of cast-metal pieces, each having indented faces made to interlock with the adjoining one, so as to require but a small additional cohesive power to retain them permanently united, and this cohesive power is obtained by simply dipping the assembled parts in a liquid metallic bath to till the interstices.

My invention consists in a hub formed `by the combination of a series ot' metalpieces,

each having one or both of its faces wavy or vent heating of said boxes, as will be herein! the same time radial, `recesses ay to receive the spokes S, as will behereinafter described, and angular projections a to en gage with inverselymade indentations c in a central ring, O. The box B forms the outer support of the axle, and is also provided with a similarly wavy liange having halt`-cylindrical, but radial, recesses b and projections b' to engage into indentations c' on the opposite side of the central ring, C. This ring is also provided with halfcylindrical recesses c, corresponding in size and direction with the recesses a and b ofthe boxes, so that when the three pieces A, B, and C are brought together a series of holes are produced in a wavy 'line upon the circumference of the hub,V arranged in the most desirableorder to receive the spokes S and produce a strong wheel. i

The hub is further improved in construction and design by means oi' cast-metal caps D and E. Each cap has a central opening in the outer end thereof, made to t over the end of its pipe-box, and its inner end has such wavy configuration as to fit the outer side of the flange of said pipe-box, forming an air-chamber open to the atmosphere through the openings d and e to keep the bearings cool. These caps D and E may, it" desired, be made of stamped sheet metal. i

To still further improve its appearance, the hub is provided with a sheetmetal ring, f, and an outer cap, g, plated with silver or nickel.

To unite the cast-metal parts of the hub together, the boxes A and B may be slightly riveted to their caps by a few slight blows with a hammer on the outer end of said boxes, or

all the pieces A B O and the caps D E unitedV temporarilyby a couple of light pieces of wire passing through the central openings and secured on the outside, and in this condition dipped intou a bath of melted zinc or other suitable metal, which will lill all the interstices, solder the parts, and complete the hub in an instant. Although this soldering metal appears .to give all the cohesion of parts required for light hubs, bolts may, in addition, be passed through the pieces A B C, adjoining to their rims, and between the spokes, if additional strength is required for heavy hubs.

The openings for the spokes may be of any desired form, and the inner end of the spokes should be made to t them tightly 5 and I prefer to form each spoke with a shoulder, s, to rest upon the projecting rim of the hub.

For very light wheels-as for toys-the pieces A B C D E, above mentioned as made of east metal, may be made of sheet metal, stamped and formed substantially as represented. The spokes may extend within the hub, so as to rest upon the box A, and the innerend of said box may be prolonged in the interior, so as to support the ends of both series of spokes.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a vehicle-wheel hub, the combination of a series of cast-metal pieces, each having one or both of its faces wavy or formed with side projections and iudentationsadapted to interlock with the adjoining piece, su bstautially as and for the purpose described.

2. A vehicle-wheel hub formed of distinct metal pieces having wavy faces, substantially as shown and described, united together by soldering, galvanizing, or dipping into liquid metal, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a vehicle-wheel hub, the combination of a box, A, formed with a wavy flange, aboX, B, provided also with a wavy flange, anda central ring, C, having projections adapted tointerloek with the flanges of boXesAand B, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a vehicle-wheel hub, the combination of a' box, A, formed with a wavy flange and a cap, D, a boX, B, provided also with a wavy flange and a cap, E, and a central ring` havin g projections adapted to interlock the Han ges of both boxes, with independent air-chambers at each end ot' the hub, substantially as and for the purpose described.

STEPHEN P. RUGGLES.

Witnesses:

H. L. WHITNEY, ARNOLD G. WYNDHAM. 

